Thread fusing and severing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like, from a fabric. The apparatus includes an elongated electrical heating element, a guide surface carried below the heating element for engaging the fabric, and a source of power for selectively energizing the heating element. When the pulled thread, which is twisted to provide an elongated member, is brought into engagement with the heating element, such severs the thread closely adjacent the fabric fusing the ends of the cut thread.

United States Patent [191 James [451 Nov. 13, 1973 THREAD FUSING AND SEVERING APPARATUS Alexander James, 34 Isbell Ln., Greenville, S.C.

Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 Appl. No.: 216,019

Inventor:

US. Cl 156/502, 156/88, 156/157, 156/251, 156/515 Int. Cl... B65h 21/00, B65h 69/06, B65h 69/08 Field of Search 156/88, 251, 267, 156/157, 272-274, 306, 368, 380, 502, 515

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1961 Sjostrom 156/515 3,087,846 4/1963 Soltis 156/88 Primary Examiner-William A. Powell Attorney-Bailey & Dority [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like, from a fabric. The apparatus includes an elongated electrical heating element, a guide surface carried below the heating element for engaging the fabric, and a source of power for selectively energizing the heating element. When the pulled thread, which is twisted to provide an elongated member, is brought into engagement with the heating element, such severs the thread closely adjacent the fabric fusing the ends of the cut thread.

7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Patented Nov .13, 1973 v 3,772,127

2 Sheets-Shet 1 Patented Nov .13, 1973 2 Sh aets-Sheet 2 THREAD FUSING AND SEVERING APPARATUS In recent years knitted fabrics have become extremely popular for men and womens dresses, blouses, pants, etc. Such knitted fabrics can be manufactured much faster than the fabrics that are woven on looms. However, due to the knitting operation they possess one disadvantage in that they tend to pick or pull more readily than the woven fabrics. Frequently, the garments which are made from knitted fabrics are discarded as a result of these pulled threads long prior to actual wearing out of the garment.

Heretofore, there has been no practical means of repairing or removing the pick from the garment.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like from fabrics, such as knitted fabrics so as to improve the appearance of such.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a simple and convenient means of severing a pulled thread from a fabric without leaving loose ends after severance.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can be operated by relatively inexperienced people for severing synthetic threads and the like from fabrics and simultaneously fusing the ends of the severed threads back together.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter-described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification, and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like from the fabric,

FIGS. 2 through 5 illustrate the steps in preparing and severing the thread with the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit for the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention wherein an electrical heating element is integral with a guide means,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 7 being utilized to sever and fuse a pulled thread from the fabric,

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of one type of electrical circuit that may be utilized with the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modified form of the electrical circuit wherein the amount of heat being generated by the heating element may be controlled by a rheostat, and

FIG. 11 discloses an electrical schematic diagram disclosing still another modified form of the electrical circuit that may be utilized with the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 7.

The drawings illustrate an apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like from fabrics including an elongated electrical heating element A, and space conducting means B for supporting the heating element A therebetween, and for supplying electrical energy thereto.

A guide surface C is carried below the heating element A and engages the fabric when in operable position for maintaining the heating element A out of contact with but closely adjacent the fabric so that pulled threads may be brought into engagement with the heating element A and severed while maintaining the heating element A out of engagement with the fabric.

Referring in more detail to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an apparatus utilized for removing pulled threads and the like from fabrics, such as knitted fabrics. In addition to the apparatus severing the pulled thread, it is capable of fusing the ends of the severed thread back together substantially even with the surface of the fabric. The apparatus includes an elongated cylindrical housing constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic. The forward end of the housing 10 in one preferred embodiment is substantially planar and has extending out a central portion thereof, a pair of elongated conducting means B. The elongated conducting means B have one end secured to the planar surface 1 l of the housing by any suitable means and is constructed of low resis tance material so that when current is allowed to flow therethrough such does not heat up a substantial amount. The outer ends of the space conducting means B are positioned approximately one-fourth inch apart and have a heating element A bridged therebetween. The heating element A may be constructed of any suitable high resistance material such as wire that heats up readily when current is allowed to pass therethrough.

A guide surface C is carried below the heating element for engaging the fabric when in operable position, and for maintaining the heating element A out of contact with, but closely adjacent the fabric. The guide surface C includes a pair of spaced arms which are curved slightly adjacent the forward end for riding smoothly over the fabric. The inner ends of the arms 12 are attached to the forward end of the housing by screws 13. The arms 12 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as steel or the like. A switch D, which in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 takes the form of a push botton, is provided for selectively connecting the electrical heating element A to a source of power. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the source of power may be any suitable A.C. outlet which is coupled to the housing through a wire 14. The wire 14, which is adapted to be connected to a volt A.C. source is connected to an A.C.-D.C. power pack 14a which converts the A.C. voltage to 2 to 10 volts on the output wires 15. One of the output wires 15 is, in turn, connected to a rheostat 16 which can further reduce the voltage from between 0.2 of a volt to 6 volts. The wiper arm 17 of the rheostat is, in turn, connected to one side of the push button D. The other side of the push button D is connected directly to one of the space conducting means B. The other output wire 15 from the A.C.-D.C. power pack 14a is connected directly to the other space conducting means B. The voltage supplied to the electrical heating element A may be controlled by rotating a knob 18a'carried on the rear of the housing that is, in turn, connected to the wiper arm 17 of the rheostat l6. Normally, it is desired that the voltage be great enough to allow the heating element A to heat to such a degree that it will melt the synthetic thread so as to sever it, while simultaneously fusing the loose ends together. It is desirable that heat generated by the heating element A be regulated so that such will not damage the fabric which is positioned closely adjacent thereto, while severing the pulled thread.

FIG. 2 illustrates a thread 18 which has been out sufficiently so that such can be twisted between the fingers such as illustrated in FIG. 3. After the pulled thread is twisted such is positioned between the space conducting means B and the push button D is depressed to heat up the heating element A. When the heating element A reaches the desired temperature and the apparatus is pulled rearwardly as illustrated in FIG. 5, such severs the synthetic thread 18 from the fabric 19 and simultaneously fuses the loose ends 20 together.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of the invention wherein, instead of using the conventional 110 volts A.C. source for the source of energy a 2 volt battery is utilized. The battery is carried within the housing which has a push button D mounted thereon for selectively supplying current to the electrical heating element A. Instead of utilizing a seperate guide means C, such as illustrated in FIG. A, 1, the heating element A is carried between the space conducting means B which are rolled rearwardly to define a loop 21 adjacent the end thereof. The lower surface of the loop 21 acts as a guide surface for maintaining the electrical heating element A spaced from the fabric 19. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the distance that the heating element A is spaced from the fabric 19 is controlled by the thickness of the space conducting means B. Instead of using a knob, such as 18a illustrated in FIG. 1 for varying the voltage applied to the heating element A, a cylindrical ring 22 is rotatably mounted on the forward end of the housing in contact with the wiper arm of a rheostat.

FIGS. 9 through 11 illustrate various electrical systems that may be utilized with the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 9 a battery is connected in series with the push button D and the heating element A for supplying energy to the heating element A.

In FIG. 10 a rheostat 24 is connected in series with the battery 23.

In FIG. 11, instead of utilizing a variable resistance means, such as the rheostat 24, a fixed resistance 25 is connected in the series circuit.

The apparatus illustrated. in FIGS. 7 and 8 operate in the same manner as the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5 with the exception that the guide surface C is provided on the bottom of the space conducting.

means B.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like on fabric including,

A. an elongated electrical heating element,

B. spaced conducting means supporting said heating element therebetween and supplying electrical energy thereto,

C. a guide surface carried below said heating element engaging the fabric when in operable position maintaining said heating element out of contact with but closely adjacent the fabric, and

D. a switch for selectively supplying electrical energy to said heating element through said spaced conducting means,

whereby pulled threads may be brought into engagement with said heating element and severed thereby while maintaining said heating element out of engagement with the fabric.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced conducting means are closed by said heating element to form a loop, whereby a pulled loop of synthetic thread may be inserted and confined in the loop with the guide surface engaging the fabric, to bring the heating element into engagement with the loop of synthetic thread to sever same and join the severed ends when the apparatus is pulled rearwardly.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim I, wherein said spaced conducting means carry said guide surface integrally therewith.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide surface is carried by a support spaced below said conducting means.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein means for controlling the supplying of electrical energy includes a resistance in series with the heating element.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, including an elongated housing, and batteries carried therein as a source of electrical energy.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, including an elongated housing, and an AC-DC power pack carried therein as a source of electrical energy. 

1. Apparatus for removing pulled threads and the like on fabric including, A. an elongated electrical heating element, B. spaced conducting means supporting said heating element therebetween and supplying electrical energy thereto, C. a guide surface carried below said heating element engaging the fabric when in operable position maintaining said heating element out of contact with but closely adjacent the fabric, and D. a switch for selectively supplying electrical energy to said heating element through said spaced conducting means, whereby pulled threads may be brought into engagement with said heating element and severed thereby while maintaining said heating element out of engagement with the fabric.
 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced conducting means are closed by said heating element to form a loop, whereby a pulled loop of synthetic thread may be inserted and confined in the loop with the guide surface engaging the fabric, to bring the heating element into engagement with the loop of synthetic thread to sever same and join the severed ends when the apparatus is pulled rearwardly.
 3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said spaced conducting means carry said guide surface integrally therewith.
 4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide surface is carried by a support spaced below said conducting mEans.
 5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein means for controlling the supplying of electrical energy includes a resistance in series with the heating element.
 6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, including an elongated housing, and batteries carried therein as a source of electrical energy.
 7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, including an elongated housing, and an AC-DC power pack carried therein as a source of electrical energy. 